Chapter 26

EARTH

EDEN CITY

Aricia stood next to Thr'won and Selene as they watched Talco pace the secure room restlessly like a caged animal, which fit with his feline nature and that of his species. Admiral Joarl stood just behind them, his dark eyes watching Talco's every move through the reinforced one way glass.

"He has recovered far quicker than we had anticipated and the drugs had no real lasting effects on him. Unfortunately." Selene spoke with a cruel grin as she looked at Aricia, her steel blue eyes bright. "Apparently they have something similar to the Lycavorian healing ability. He just doesn't have to shape shift to use it."

"You don't like this man Selene." Aricia spoke detecting the almost vile tone of her voice when Selene spoke of him. It was not something normally seen or heard from Selene and it had Aricia wondering.

"I'm usually very tolerant Aricia, you know that. For some reason however, this man ... this Kavalian ... I despise him with every ounce of my being." Selene replied. She turned to Thr'won. "Is it possible I am experiencing some sort of residual effect of Deval's influence Thr'won? His feelings towards these people? Because he is the one who actually turned me ... is it possible I am feeling what he would feel? That Lynwe is feeling it as well? She does not show it as openly as I do, but she doesn't like this man either. And I'm the one who made her a full vampire."

Thr'won nodded slowly. "It's possible. We do know that Deval was a Pureblood vampire and not someone turned. It stands to reason that those here got the reports from the High Coven when the Kavalians invaded their territory. Perhaps it is lingering affects for you both Selene, but I recommend not dwelling on it. You and Lynwe are far above and beyond anything we know of Deval and his actions. Do not bring yourself down to his level with doubt of your personality."

Joarl nodded from behind them, his dark eyes alert. "I agree Selene." He spoke. "They were formidable foes on the battlefield." He spoke calmly. "Not very bright or well trained ... but they were hard to bring down, and they were ruthlessly savage. We learned quickly that if we took out their officers, unit cohesion fell apart. It may be what you say ... but perhaps you just don't like this man. As I don't like him. Don't read more into it than is truly there."

Selene turned and met his eyes with a soft smile. "Thank you Admiral Joarl." She spoke. "Your words mean quite a bit to me."

"What were you able to get from him?" Aricia asked.

"He is supposed to meet the group that's on its way here just outside what used to be called Wichita, Kansas. It's in the Wastes." Selene answered turning back to her. "Maraud was supposed to meet him there with the eggs and the young dragons that had already hatched. Apparently they were going to be sedated. The meeting is supposed to take place in roughly twenty-one hours."

Aricia looked at her. "Syrilth?"

Thr'won shook her head. "Everything we saw leads me to believe that Maraud was going to kill Syrilth before he left the planet, or at the very least injure her enough so that she would not be able to defend herself."

Aricia's eyes narrowed. "And make her watch as he left Earth with her siblings." She said softly. "That would have driven her completely insane."

Joarl stepped forward. "Milady ... they can't be planning to come to the surface with that many men." He spoke. "The Limian cruisers that are escorting the transports do not have a large enough troop carrying capacity to land overwhelming forces. They could have perhaps a few hundred between the two ships."

Aricia nodded. "Have Panos dispatch an additional Mora from Sparta to this Wichita immediately and secure the area around it." She spoke. "Have them remain well hidden, for Maraud will no doubt search the area from the sky before landing."

"The cruisers and transports?" Joarl asked.

Aricia looked at him. "Can the NIGHTMOON handle these two cruisers with HAMMER OF THE GODS assisting?" She asked.

Joarl looked almost insulted and he snorted openly in disgust as he looked at her. "Two Limian cruisers against the NIGHTMOON and the HAMMER? Please my Queen ... you injure my feelings." He replied.

Aricia chuckled and reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "My apologies Joarl." She spoke. "I am not as proficient with ship classes and their abilities as Martin."

Joarl nodded. "Something we will have to change in the future my Queen." He spoke. "It will be no contest."

"Good ... then we don't have to draw any other ships back to Earth." Aricia said.

Selene nodded. "And combined with the defensive platforms and Admiral Wallace's new detection grid, which is now online and working quite well according to him, we will have no trouble. I want them captured Aricia ... not destroyed. Is that possible?" She looked from Aricia to Joarl.

"You wish to make an example of them?" Aricia asked.

Selene nodded. "Tarifa, Aihola and I have talked about this." She spoke. "It would go a long way to letting others know that while we may be a new member to the Union, we are by no means stupid and incapable."

Aricia nodded. "Admiral?"

Joarl nodded. "We can do this." He said. "Just so long as I can tell my people if they attempt to do something insane like ram our ships or a platform, we can direct our full power against them?"

Selene nodded. "That is without question Joarl." She said. "I will leave that in your hands and not try to tell you how to do it. If it can be done ... fine ... but our people are not to be put at risk."

Joarl nodded in approval. He truly enjoyed working with Selene, Tarifa and Aihola. They always seemed to be of one mind, and they were decisive and blunt. He would make it a point to speak with the King about being assigned here permanently and moving his home here to Earth. She may have been a vampire now ... but Selene intrigued him, as did Lynwe and now Layna and the relationship they all shared.

Aricia looked at Thr'won. "What you learned from Syrilth and then from this fool, can you determine anything of value?"

Thr'won nodded. "Wherever this Maraud is hiding the eggs it is near the ocean." She answered. "The white skinned ones killed two of her siblings by smashing their eggs on rocks far below where they were being kept. I saw large waves and huge rocks. It was an image that Maraud passed to her when she defied him several years ago. She does not know where this location is however. He has never taken her there."

"Well it has to be on this continent." Aricia spoke. "Twenty-one hours from now puts us well into the evening local time. If he is keeping the eggs along the coast somewhere he would need a means to transport them to the meeting place."

"And it would need to be done discretely." Thr'won said. "So it did not look suspicious in any way."

"How long would it take for a Transport Lifter to get from either coast to this location in Kansas?" Aricia asked.

Selene shrugged. "Many of the Lifter trails have been improved and expanded as part of the Reconstruction program." She said. "A few hours from the east coast easily ... perhaps a little longer from the west coast because of the mountainous terrain. Tarifa spent quite a bit of time in the northwest portion of this continent when she was growing up. Perhaps she or Tareif knows of a place similar to what Thr'won is describing. I don't recall such places along the eastern seaboard from my time in the Coven Ministry, and I traveled extensively along the east coast."

Thr'won nodded. "I will go ask them." She said. She looked at Aricia taking her hand. "You have felt nothing?"

Aricia shook her head. "Not for the last few hours. Not since that last major spike."

"Are you worried?" Thr'won asked.

Aricia smiled. "I would like to say no ... but I think all of us are worried whenever he is not within our embrace." She answered. "He does have a tendency to find trouble wherever he goes, especially when Daniel travels with him. The two of them have always been able to end up in the storm no matter how much they try to avoid it. Anja has told me of many things the two of them were involved in, some by choice ... many more that were not."

Thr'won smiled. "Yes ... I've heard Walter say that a number of times."

"Well he would know." Aricia answered with a soft laugh "He has known them longer than anyone."

"What do you think it is?" Thr'won asked.

Aricia shook her head. "It wasn't like the first spike. This second one was much more intense and focused. Almost as if he ... almost as if he had discovered something horrible or something wondrous. It's hard to tell really. He is so very good at shielding his mind from us when he really wants to ... and at this great distance ... even I can't penetrate them. I know that if I felt it ... Dysea must have felt it as well. She has come into phase now ... and her developing abilities will make her more attuned to Martin within Mindvoice."

"Perhaps you should contact her on Elear and talk with her or Isabella." Thr'won spoke. "While Isabella will not have the same sensitivity to Martin, she is very much attuned to Dysea because of what they share. Their connection is strong because they have shared blood."

Aricia nodded her head. "Bella has tasted the blood of us all Thr'won. Except for Martin of course." She stated evenly and seeing that Thr'won did not blink an eye at this news.

"You are lovers and a family ... if you think this surprises me you are mistaken Aricia." Thr'won spoke taking her hand and squeezing it tightly. "It is one of the very things that make the six of you so powerful together. Never deny that."

Aricia smiled and nodded at her words. "You are right." She said with a smile. "Then again ... it could be that this is the longest we have been apart from him and Torma and Isheeni and I are just missing them."

Thr'won grinned. "Then when he returns, insure you make up for it."

Aricia matched her smile. "I intend to."

Joarl rolled his eyes and Selene laughed at his expression. "What do we do with our guest?" Joarl asked.

"Well ... we can't let him go because he has seen you Aricia." Selene spoke. "The equipment we found where he was hiding was mainly communications gear he had somehow managed to either steal or purchase. We were able to discover two messages he was going to send already programmed into the transmitter." She looked at Aricia when she said that.

Aricia met her eyes. "I assume you were able to read them?"

Selene smiled. "One was to this Maraud character ... the other to the ships. Basically that everything was all set and the meeting was on."

Aricia grinned. "Then let's send those messages." She spoke. "And have Lynwe join us Selene. I want to talk with Talco here, and he doesn't seem to like Lynwe any more than he likes you. Thr'won if you are going to Tarifa's home please ask Isra to send Aelnala here to me. It appears Talco was very frightened of her if what Isra said was true. Perhaps we can use that to our advantage in some way."

Thr'won nodded. "I'll head over right now." She said kissing her cheek softly and then heading down the corridor.

"My Queen ... I'm going to set up our plans on board the NIGHTMOON. I will advise you when we are ready." Joarl spoke.

"Let slip that you are departing for the edge of the system because one of our freighters is experiencing some sort of problem and you are the only ship in the area." Aricia spoke.

Joarl nodded and bowed his head. "I will speak with you both later." He said before also turning and heading down the corridor.

Aricia waited for Joarl to be out of ear shot before turning back to Selene who was looking at her oddly.

"Aricia ... I think I know you well enough to know you have something going through that beautiful head of yours." Selene spoke softly.

Aricia nodded slowly. "I did not want to speak of it with anyone else. We have too much going on as it is right now. It is something you need to pass on to Tarifa and Aihola, as well as those that share your bed."

Selene stepped closer to her. "What?" She asked detecting the seriousness of the tone in Aricia's voice.

"I spoke with Armetus yesterday." She said. "The man Martin chose to run the Krypteria. Our new Intelligence Organization?"

Selene nodded. "Yes ... I've spoken with him once or twice. He seems a very capable man." She said.

"He is far more than just capable. Selene there is a possibility of a very high level Coven agent within our inner circle on Apo Prime." Aricia spoke. "Someone very close to us."

"How close?" Selene asked.

Aricia met her steel blue eyes. "Too close. He wouldn't give me much information ... there wasn't much to give really. He and his people were still gathering intelligence. He did pass on to me to let you know he would like to send several people here to Earth, with your permission of course. And he wants you, Tarifa and Aihola to begin a systematic review of everyone within your inner circle here and in Sparta."

"Sparta?" Selene gasped. "Shouldn't Panos..."

Aricia nodded. "He has already begun. He will contact you later this evening on a secure channel to better coordinate your efforts. I wanted to be the one to tell you what was happening. It is not something you should hear through a report."

"Aricia ... what's going on?" Selene asked.

"It appears that wherever Martin has gone ... he has succeeded in stirring up a hornet's nest of trouble." She said. "Lisisa ... his... our daughter, she was being held on Lycavore. It is the old home world of my people so I understand." Aricia saw her confusion and smiled. "Of the Lycavorians not born here in Sparta. Apo Prime is where our people settled when the rebellion against the High Coven began. It did not include those of us here on Earth living in Sparta. This Lycavore ... it is very deep in High Coven space..." She saw Selene's eyes grow wider. "Yes ... that was my first reaction as well. Martin ... he apparently has found Lisisa there, but he has found something else as well. Something far more important it seems and this is what is causing the spikes that Isheeni and I are feeling."

"Then these are the spikes you and Thr'won were talking about then? They are within Mindvoice?" Selene asked.

Aricia nodded. "Yes. Whatever he has found has caused him to react rather strongly, stronger than I have ever seen him react with the exception of on Enurrua. It also seems that the High Coven is beginning to shift forces around subtly. Whether it is because of Martin or something else, we do not know. Something is happening and we really do not have any idea what it is. Since we do not have any real well placed agents within the High Coven, Armetus believes it is better for us to be safe than sorry and I agree with him."

Selene looked at her evenly. "Lynwe, Layna and I can speak within Mindvoice with each other because we've shared blood. It brings us closer together really, but our ability there is limited. You, Martin, Thr'won even Tarifa and Aihola now that they are bound to Roluth, we cannot hope to obtain that level or understand the significance it brings. This is not something I will ever question you on Aricia. Or Armetus. Tell me what you want us to do."

BIG SNOWY MOUNTAINS

TRUE PEOPLE'S BASE OF OPERATION

Maruad and Hurcan burst through the thick steel to see Syrilth smash into the steel wall of the ancient helicopter hanger. They watched as the azure blue dragon moved forward towards where she was recovering her feet, the marks from the beating she had been getting by the slightly smaller female very evident.

Maraud lifted his rifle and fired several shots into the ceiling of the metal hanger, the clang of the bullet strikes causing Isheeni and Syrilth to snap their heads around and look at him.

"Enough!" He bellowed.

Stay out of this man! Isheeni snarled in Mindvoice. She will not cause harm to the eggs I carry! I will kill her now!

You will try! Syrilth exclaimed back with a similar snarl of anger and rage. You will not turn my siblings against me! I won't let you put them at risk!

Isheeni lifted her whip like tail for another strike at Syrilth but Maraud sent a single shot into the floor between them. He lifted the rifle and leveled it at Isheeni.

"One more step or twitch and you won't need to worry about eggs!" He growled at her, advancing almost fearlessly. "These rounds are specially made to penetrate your scales dragon! And they are laced with a unique poison that will render you incapacitated in seconds. Now back up quickly!"

Isheeni glared at him for several moments before doing as he ordered her. Maruad eyed Isheeni warily unsure of what to make of this obviously confident and fearless female. He knew carrying eggs made any dragon female touchy and exceedingly dangerous, and it only seemed more so with this azure blue scaled dragon. Maruad watched as Isheeni backed up and returned to where Roluth was resting on the floor of the hanger seemingly unconcerned. Isheeni was his mate and he apparently was going to remain out of any dispute she had with Syrilth. Maruad looked at Syrilth as her ochre colored eyes glared daggers at where Isheeni settled to the floor next to Roluth and he stroked her wings with his snout.

Syrilth? Maruad spoke sternly.

When are we departing for this meeting Maraud? She demanded. I want this over with and my siblings back so that I do not have to remain with that smug, arrogant female. She thinks because she carries my brother's eggs I will not burn her!

Hah! Isheeni's voice exclaimed. You could no more burn me than you could beat me! Your master is better off riding me and leaving you here to suffer with these annoying little ones you have coddled so!

Silence! Syrilth screamed out.

Maruad looked at the small scrapes and injuries Syrilth had on her scales due to her confrontation with Isheeni. She injured you. He stated. I need you healthy Syrilth, not torn up fighting this female.

I am fine! Syrilth spat as she settled to the floor of the hanger.

Maruad turned and looked at Isheeni. You have injured her!

Isheeni snorted. Not permanently! She is old and slow! I could take Roluth and be gone from here whenever I wish. And you could not stop me man! Isheeni glared at him with azure eyes as if daring him to stop her.

Maraud looked at her. You are either very confident or very stupid. He spoke. You think highly of your skills.

I may have been forced to serve that Lycavorian wench ... but I was smart enough to learn all I could. How do you think Roluth and I defeated her so easily? Isheeni proclaimed. If she can not fly then I will take you where you need to go so that we can be done with you and your kind and start living as dragons should!

Maraud looked at her. You would carry me? He asked surprised.

If it causes you to leave this place sooner so that Roluth and I can begin our lives free of your stench ... yes. If the old bag is not up to it! Isheeni snapped.

Maraud turned back to see Syrilth moving her wing, trying to make it extend out fully. She gasped in pain and retracted it quickly. You have damaged my wing! I...

Syrilth ... you will remain here tomorrow! Maraud declared.

Syrilth's ochre colored eyes glared menacingly at him. You will not keep me from my siblings! She hissed out. Not this time Maruad!

You can not carry me! He spoke.

I will not allow it!

Cease your ranting! Isheeni barked. I will insure he returns your eggs to you Syrilth! If only so that it shuts you up! My first priority is to my own eggs, but if insuring this man keeps his word gets me away from you faster then so be it.

No! I will not allow it! Syrilth exclaimed.

You have no choice Syrilth! Maruad snapped.

I will burn you now then! Syrilth howled out.

I will go with my mate and Maruad to insure he keeps his word Syrilth. Roluth declared off handedly. I care only for my children now ... but if it allows Isheeni and I to escape quicker then I will go.

Maraud nodded. I will accept that.

Syrilth looked between Maraud and Roluth. If you betray me Maruad I will find you wherever you may go!

Yes I'm sure. He spoke. Maruad shook his head, Mindvoicing always gave him a headache and one was coming on now because they were speaking on a level of Mindvoice so that Hurcan and his people could not detect. "Enough!" He spoke openly now. "We have our plan!" He turned to Hurcan. "Tomorrow the blue scaled dragon and Roluth will go with me. We will kill the elf females and the male rider and then Hurcan you can begin your assault."

Hurcan looked between the dragons and Maruad. "My ... my people are already in place." He spoke finally. "My mages are hiding their presence as they filter through the tunnels beneath Eden City."

Maraud nodded. "When I begin my attack on the elf females they should strike." He spoke moving up to stand beside Hurcan and then drawing him away where he thought the others would not hear him. "And you may kill Syrilth and the others at your leisure when we have departed." He hissed in a soft whisper that only Hurcan could hear.

Hurcan nodded. "Something I will take great pleasure in doing." He answered.

Maruad turned back to Isheeni. "Be ready to leave at first light dragon." He called out before turning and taking Hurcan's arm. "Let us put the finishing touches on our plans my friend."

Syrilth gingerly walked over to where Tharua and her other siblings sat away from Isheeni and Roluth. As she settled to the floor Tharua and Majeir nuzzled up against her in a show of inspecting her injuries.

[Mindvoice Shielded] Do you think he suspects Isheeni?

I don't believe so. He actually seemed rather anxious to leave. Isheeni replied. Syrilth I did not hurt you badly did I?

Syrilth chuckled within the shielded connection. I have felt far worse from him, and he is very anxious Isheeni. Perhaps these white skinned creatures are pressuring him.

We are close sister. Isheeni spoke confidently. Be prepared for anything. I don't believe he will just leave you here.

What do you mean?

When we depart this place I believe the white skinned ones will attempt to kill you. Aricia and Isra felt this as well when we last saw them. You must be on guard Syrilth.

We won't allow anything to happen to her Isheeni. Tharua spoke now as she made it a point to nuzzle her sister and seem to lick her wounds.

We must have faith in Isra and Aricia and my bonded ones, Tarifa and Aihola. Roluth spoke now. They will not allow harm to come to our siblings Syrilth. You have carried this burden yourself for too long. Now we will all help and we will succeed.

Syrilth nodded her head slowly as she leaned her snout over to nudge Majeir. I have spent so many years serving that vile man I have had my judgment clouded when it comes to others. I can not do this alone and I must allow others to help me.

And we will Syrilth. Isheeni spoke. We will. Come ... we must merge our thoughts and pass what we have learned to Aricia and Isra. They must prepare for this force that is infiltrating beneath the city.

Esther did as she was told, executing standard defensive maneuvers to throw off ground based turrets as they left the atmosphere. As she did this, she was calculating the LSD jump to get them out of the system as quickly as possible, something she did immediately upon gaining orbit and limited distance from the gravitational well of the planet. Her sensors showed no signs of ships in the area, but if they found the explosive charge meant to kill them, they could very well have two or three shrouded ships waiting in orbit. She executed two quick defensive turns, as well as a complete course change before engaging the LSD drive. She jumped three times in quick succession, never remaining in one location for more than twenty seconds before jumping once more. There was no way anyone could track them once she exited from the last jump, not unless they were reading her mind and doing the calculations right beside her. She sat back in the seat after setting course for Roltar Six and let out a deep sigh.

She was free now.

Free of Lady Aikiro and her oppressive control and the woman who had killed her parents when she was only days old.

Now all she had to do was convince Cha'talla she was not the enemy. She looked at the stars out the cockpit view window as she finished plotting the course that would take them to Roltar Six. Yes she had fed him her blood for three days, the first two by order of Lady Aikiro because it was her blood that had pulled him back from the abyss of death, and only her blood could keep him alive until his system regenerated enough to take other blood. The morning of the third day however had opened a whole new world Esther had secretly wondered about but never dared voice to anyone.

Esther had seen many Immortals throughout her three hundred and seven years of life, yet Cha'talla was the most pleasing to her eyes. He may have looked like an Immortal, but his body was chiseled stone and he had strong, confident look to his face and jaw. Unlike other purebloods, Esther never thought of herself as superior to others simply by her blood, and this had always been a contention with her instructors in school. It had also earned her the respect of the few Immortals in the base, and they had secretly taught her many different types of fighting that she would not have normally learned. She hated Lady Aikiro for taking her parents from her, and she believed Lady Aikiro knew that. She held no illusions about being able to defeat her in battle, she had seen Lady Aikiro defeat three Immortals at one time in a training bout, so she played the part of the good student and servant, biding her time until she could escape into the unknown.

Cha'talla's presence had given that to her.

Esther had not intended for him to grab her as he had done. She had never intended for him to tear her clothes from her and force himself upon her in his delirium, and she had never intended on feeling what he had made her experience. It was true he had forced himself upon her the first time, bulling his massive cock into her with little fanfare. He had ignored her pleas and gasps of pain as his fifteen inch cock stretched her as no man ever had in her life. He had stroked into her deeper than any man who she had ever bedded, the thickness and length of his will shattering cock causing indescribable pain at first. Pain that had quickly been tossed aside as he thrust into her and she began to respond to him as she never had to any man before. When he bit into her breast as his cock erupted into her depths, his fangs feeding on her blood, Esther had quivered in the most divinely powerful orgasm of her young life, her arms and legs locked around his powerful body, pinned beneath him as she was. She would not have been whipped if it had stopped there.

It hadn't stopped there however.

Esther was beside herself in the aftermath of her orgasm, and when he had finally rolled off her, she had pounced like a lioness, taking his drooping cock into her small hands and lavishing it with licks and kisses, tasting her own juices mixed with his tangy seed. She had sucked his huge cock for what seemed like hours, taking him deeply into her throat, allowing his large hands to entwine in her hair as he forced his cock as deep as it would go. She drank his passion like a thirsty kitten when he had erupted, holding her head tightly to his groin, her lips stretched and anchored around the base of his pulsing hot shaft. She drank his juices greedily, her small hands fondling his large balls for every drop, until finally she began to extract his glistening shaft from her within her throat. Amazingly, by the time she held only the bulbous head left in her mouth, he was hard again. Esther had climbed onto his hugely muscular body then and lowered her sore, bald pussy onto his dominating Immortal cock. She couldn't remember how many times he had made her come that day; for they had spent so many hours together the pleasure seemed to blend collectively. Esther had known she was his the moment he had kissed her. It was not something she had ever heard of Immortals doing and he was no expert at it since it was all new to him as well, but something in his delirious mind must have told him to kiss her, and she had responded to his kiss without question. It was strange at first for Immortals had very thin lips, but his thick tongue never seemed to tire, and with delighted moans from her telling him he was doing it just right, he had become very good at curling her toes with his kisses. Not to mentioning flexing his massive cock buried in her belly in ways that caused small orgasms to quake through her unchecked.